The Relationship Recalibration
by Anglophile79
Summary: *NOW COMPLETE* What exactly will it take for Sheldon and Amy to repair their relationship? Just my take on what happens after the events of the season 8 finale. This is Shamy all the way!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Of course, I don't own anyone or anything in this story.**

* * *

Everyone eventually makes a decision that changes the entire trajectory of your life and leaves you forever changed.

For Sheldon Cooper, it happened at Christmas, the time of year that Sheldon was usually at his grumpiest. It was at the Victorian Christmas party Amy had thrown for everyone, back at the moment Sheldon had tasted the Christmas cookies Amy had made for him. Something changed in him in that moment. As he took a bite of the delicate, crispy cookie that seemed to melt the moment it hit his tongue, he was overwhelmed. They tasted exactly like the ones he'd eaten every Christmas at Meemaw's house growing up; the ones that had always made Sheldon feel so special. Everything Meemaw did made him feel special.

He couldn't believe Amy had taken the time and effort to not only call Meemaw up to get the recipe, but put such attention into getting the recipe just right. He felt special all over again.

"They're perfect," Sheldon had said. _Just like you, Amy_.

The thought he didn't dare vocalize startled him, not because it wasn't true, but because of how true it was. He was suddenly filled with regret for his behavior earlier that day. Sheldon loved this woman, and had told her as much back when they had their prom, but yet just a few hours before was trying to find a gift to make her feel small and worthless. He was so consumed in teaching her a lesson about Christmas gifts that he'd never stopped to consider how ridiculous the whole scheme actually was. He didn't want her to feel small and worthless. He wanted her to feel like a princess.

And just a few minutes ago, he was still gloating over his gift to her, and the fact that she wouldn't be able to reciprocate. Of course, the message that played in the picture frame was true, every word, but it also heightened the disappointment Amy was going to feel when she had nothing to give in return.

Then in one fell swoop, she dashed his hopes for victory and left him completely stunned.

And happy.

He was happy. She had been making him happier than he had ever thought possible. Penny had brought it to his attention not too long ago, when he apparently had been staring off with a smile on his face for quite some time, and she had inquired, "Thinkin' about Amy?"

He'd quickly regained his composure, and given her a look of annoyance. "Absolutely not!" _Yes, I was._

Penny had smirked at him. "Fine, deny it all you want, but face it, Sheldon. She makes you happy. When I first met you, I almost never saw you smile. Now you smile all the time! It's nice to see, that's all."

As he looked over at Amy showing off her new framed picture to everyone, her eyes shining with delight, his heart swelled and he knew it was true. Amy Farrah Fowler had done the impossible and had caused Sheldon Lee Cooper to fall in love. As a bonus, he knew that Meemaw giving Amy the recipe was her secret stamp of approval as well.

It was then that the little seedling of an idea began to take root in his mind, the decision that he wanted to make Amy his wife.

At first, he shrugged it off, blaming it on the festive atmosphere his girlfriend had worked so hard to create. He blamed it on the exquisite taste of the cookies. He blamed it on the on the holiday itself. But after Christmas had passed, the thought kept nagging at him. He couldn't get it off his mind. Every time he'd see Amy, he was bombarded with thoughts of "what if." What if he proposed? What if they were married? What would change if they did marry?

 _Everything_.

People always said change was fine, but it never was. Was this really what he wanted?

Until his train trip months back, his relationship with Amy had started to feel like the fight of his life. He knew his feelings had been increasing daily for some time, especially since their Valentine's Day kiss. This wasn't just a relationship of the mind anymore, and he knew it. Then that crazy psychic went and filled his head with all that malarkey about giving himself fully to the relationship. It had frightened him to his core, because he knew if he went all in, he'd never get back out. His carefully structured life and schedule, years of doing only what he wanted to do, not letting emotions entangle themselves in all his organized compartments of life, it would all be obliterated. If he gave everything, Amy would have to be first place, his heart would have to go deeper than he'd ever imagined, and it would be forever. And it terrified him.

So he fought, and fought, and fought. He fought his feelings, his desires, his need to be around her more often. And he became exhausted. When all the changes happening around him finally undid him, he had to leave. While hopping from one train to the next, fully expecting his mind to finally be stilled enough to properly deal with all those issues, all he could think of was her, one singular focus he just couldn't shake. He knew he needed to get to the bottom of what these feelings were, and that's when he'd finally concluded it was love. The truth was he was pretty certain it had been love for a long time, but this was the first time he had let himself truly believe it.

Of course, when he returned, nothing was completely different overnight (except Penny's hair), and that was just the way he liked it. But he slowly chipped away at those walls inside that still wanted to keep Amy at bay. With each piece that had fallen away over the past year, whether it was by way of their increased physical contact, attempting to buy a turtle together, or having their first sleepover, Sheldon had started to breathe easier, with less anxiety bearing down on his soul. It wasn't too scary after all. Yet, part of him remained hidden, clinging to the old, the familiar, and the safe. He was still fighting; he just didn't know what he was fighting for.

After their argument about Sheldon potentially going to Mars, he realized not only that he wouldn't last five seconds on Mars without Amy by his side, but that he needed to do something to make his decision to marry Amy more concrete.

"What I want is for us to be planning our future together," she'd said.

Her comment had jolted him. _Our future_. He knew whatever planet they ended up living on, he wanted, needed, Amy to be in that future.

He went back to the same jewelry store where he'd purchased Amy's tiara all those years ago. He found his palms sweaty as he began to look at the selection of rings, as the reality of the moment swept over him. This was really happening. He was about to pick out Amy's engagement ring, and it had to be perfect.

He was deeply engrossed in comparing rings when one of the employees came to where Sheldon was at the counter.

"What can I help you find, sir?" he asked.

Without looking up, Sheldon replied, "Yes, I'm looking to purchase an engagement ring for my girlfriend."

"Ah yes, and are there any particular styles you have in mind? Perhaps something about her that would help narrow down what she would like?"

Sheldon thought for a moment, then looking around to make sure no one was listening, answered quietly and intently, "She's my princess."

At the word "princess", something triggered the bearded employee's memory, and upon further inspection of the gentleman in front of him, it registered. "I remember you."

Sheldon looked at the man, and nodded. "Yes, you assisted me the last time I visited your store. Do you have an eidetic memory as well?"

"I'm just very good with faces. That's my specialty. Plus, it's not every day a customer buys a pocketwatch and a tiara."

"Indeed. Now, what can you tell me about this ring over here?"

"I can tell you that it will help pay for my daughter's 300-guest wedding," he replied, taking the ring out of the case. It was a simple, classic design, with an exquisite diamond in the center, and a tiny emerald on either side. The emerald was Amy's birthstone, and reminded Sheldon of her rich green eyes that he couldn't get enough of.

He could feel his chest tighten at the thought of Amy's face at the sight of this ring, and he knew it was the right one. Now he just needed to find the right moment.

Over two months had passed. He had yet to find the right moment, and now it was perhaps too late. He stared forlornly at the ring box in his hand, stroking it gently with his thumb. How could everything have fallen apart so fast?

* * *

Amy Farrah Fowler had never been one to cry a lot. Sure, she had her emotional moments sometimes, but it took a lot to build up to full-on sobbing. But that's the place where she was at the moment, tears falling as she curled up in a blanket and stared at Rice Sheldon sitting on her couch.

She could never have predicted how incredible this past year with Sheldon would be. It was more than she had let herself believe possible.

When she had first seen him at the police station in Arizona last year, following forty-five days of loneliness, her heart was awash with the love for him that had been steadily growing for months and months. She was still angry and frustrated that he left in the first place, but her momentarily elation at seeing him again briefly overshadowed that. Sheldon had walked over to her, leaned in, and she stood there with bated breath, longing for him to kiss her, hold her, to tell her how much he missed her. Instead, all she got was a breathy "shotgun", and disappointment shot through her veins. He hadn't even wanted her to come. Nothing had changed after all.

Or had it?

She had started to resign herself to the idea that this was probably as good as it could get with him. Surely he could never truly reciprocate what she felt for him. After all, that's how they started out. Neither one believed in love, or thought it had any value. But, oh, how she had been proven wrong!

She'd always had a suspicion that Sheldon had the biggest heart and felt the most intensely of anyone in their social group, but hid those emotions more than anyone as well. The night of their prom, however, Amy had gotten to see a much better glimpse of that big heart, when she finally heard the words she had been yearning for, "I love you, too."

Once Sheldon had declared his love for her, she finally felt like they were on the same page again. She felt safe and content. There was a freedom between them that hadn't existed before. She was overjoyed at all the little ways Sheldon was showing his affection toward her. Yet, for each beautiful gesture or comment, there would be something said or done by him that would cause doubt to nag at her once again. She knew that he didn't always realize the implications of his words or actions, so she would subconsciously sweep it under the rug. _He loves me. He didn't really mean what he said. He wouldn't really leave for Mars without me._

But one can only sweep under the rug for so long before it starts to become obviously lumpy.

The buildup had been so slow and gradual she hadn't even realized how bothered she had become until that pesky little straw came along, the one that broke everything. One silly little comment about a TV show from him, and suddenly she found herself questioning their entire relationship. All those unfeeling comments from him, the eye rolls when she brought up anything romantic, those times he only thought of himself; they all came rushing back. Everything she thought she'd forgiven and forgotten was now at the forefront again, and her faith in what they had together became shaken. Maybe this really _was_ as good as it could ever get with Sheldon. Perhaps, though he said he loved her, she would always be placed further down on his list of priorities. Perhaps his love would never be all-consuming like hers was for him. Perhaps he would never be able to move forward with her. After all, every milestone she had discovered she craved deep down, such as marriage and family, he had mercilessly mocked only a year before.

When she left Sheldon's apartment the night of their five-year anniversary, she found herself to be a bundle of nerves, which surprised her. Her normally confident nature was shattered, replaced by fear that their relationship had gone as far as it could and was irreparable. The weight of it all was crushing her, and she desperately needed room to breathe, to feel, to figure out.

After a day of contemplation, she knew what she had to do.

She was in physical pain as she told Sheldon she needed to step back for a bit. Every word pierced her heart once more, and she imagined they were hurting Sheldon as well, which only brought more pain.

Once she said goodbye, she couldn't help but burst into tears, a gushing storm of feelings she had long repressed. She always felt she had to be the strong one, but she had no more strength left. Her and Sheldon were now in limbo, on pause, and she had no idea how long it would take, or _what_ it would take, to make the situation right again.

* * *

 **A/N: This will be a rather short multi-chapter, probably around 5 to 6 chapters. This first one was mostly just an intro chapter to get the ball rolling. I'm hoping to have it completed before the premiere airs. Regardless, there won't be any S9 spoilers in this story. Reviews are always very appreciated! Thanks for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

Leonard and Penny walked into 4A, holding hands and half expecting Sheldon to pounce on them for information as soon as they set their stuff down. Both thought it was rather odd that they hadn't heard a peep from Sheldon during their stay in Vegas, but figured he worked things out with Amy and was just too busy to bother checking in about their nuptials.

"Sheldon? We're home. Are you here?" Leonard called out and then froze in his tracks.

"Holy crap, were you guys robbed?" Penny remarked.

The place was as unkempt as either one had ever seen. Dishes piled in the sink, books strewn about the coffee table, whiteboards placed haphazardly all around the room, and it even smelled a bit musty.

"Penny, all our stuff is still here, our computers, our tv. If we were robbed, it was by the dumbest criminal ever. No, I wonder if Sheldon was trying to hit some breakthrough in his research. Aw, crap, he's going to end up in the ball pit again!"

Just then, Penny nudged him, and Leonard looked over to see Sheldon appear from the hallway.

At least, they thought it was Sheldon.

He was in his pajamas and robe, holding a mug of tea like his life depended on it. His hair was shooting wildly in a hundred directions, and four-day-old stubble graced his colorless face. His eyes were bloodshot. He looked exhausted. As he slowly shuffled to the kitchen, it was clear he had zero energy.

"Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Hofstadter," he acknowledged hoarsely, barely above a whisper.

"Yeah, well, we have to talk about that. And about you! What in the world happened here?" Penny asked, gently leading him to the couch.

Sheldon sunk into his spot and stared straight ahead while Leonard and Penny sat down. He couldn't look at his two closest friends while he said it.

"Amy decided she needed to take a step back and reevaluate our relationship. I'm not even sure if we're broken up or not."

"Oh, sweetie, I'm so sorry. When did this happen?" Penny asked, concerned. She looked over at Leonard who looked completely shocked. He never thought Amy would ever actually take a break from Sheldon.

"The night you left for Vegas," Sheldon replied quietly.

"What?! That was four days ago! Why didn't you call us? Why didn't Amy call us?" Penny was incredulous.

"I was still processing what happened. I cannot answer for Amy because I haven't spoken to her since. I don't understand it at all. Everything was going so well!"

"But Sheldon, you said she had gotten upset on your anniversary. It probably got her thinking about the relationship, and she just needed a timeout to think things over. I'm sure this will blow over soon," Leonard interjected.

"Why don't you go over to Amy's right now and talk this out? Come on, I'll drive you," Penny suggested.

Sheldon rolled his eyes. "She asked for time, Penny. Was that part not clear to you?"

"What he needs to do is respect her wishes," said Leonard.

"Well, my wish was to marry a guy who didn't cheat on me, but you didn't respect that one too well."

"Oh, geez, are you going to bring that up every chance you get? I thought we came to an agreement on that!"

"Now is not the time to talk about that. We're dealing with Sheldon's problem!"

" _You_ brought it up!"

"Arrrgh! Forget I said it. What Sheldon needs to do is fight for his woman!" Penny's voice escalated.

"He needs to back off and let Amy deal with the situation!" Leonard replied at a similar volume.

Sheldon's eye began twitching as he squirmed in his seat. Standing up, he finally shouted, "Enough! Both of you. What _Sheldon_ needs to do is stop listening to you two argue like this. And what on earth happened in Vegas? Leonard, did you really cheat on Penny?"

" _Two_ years ago! I mean, no, not exactly," Leonard protested.

"You know, because if it happened two years ago, _then_ it's ok," Penny said, rolling her eyes.

"Sarcasm?" asked Sheldon.

Penny put her finger on her nose. "Perhaps you are getting better with it after all."

"Thank you. But what _happened_?" Sheldon asked, sitting back down.

"It was while I was away on the North Sea expedition. We all got really drunk one night. I barely remember what went on. All I know is there was this girl who I had talked to some during the trip. I do remember I was lamenting over how much I was missing Penny, and how I wished I could be home and kissing her again. Then this girl says something like, 'Does she kiss like this?' And next thing I know, her lips are on mine, and it was sloppy and felt all wrong, plus she smoked so I was grossed out. As soon as I could think straight, I pulled away. I think I told her she was crazy and that it felt like I was being kissed by a fish. After that, we didn't really say much to each other the rest of the trip. I was so angry at her for doing what she did.

"I told Penny this on our way to Vegas, because even though it didn't mean anything to me, I felt that there should be no secrets between us."

"So we got there, and it was like the wind had gone out of our sails, and we both knew there would be no wedding that night. We found a hotel, and totally crashed," Penny explained.

Sheldon gestured for her to continue, surprising them both. Usually he wouldn't care about such details of a story like this.

"We got up the next day and ended up talking all day long. We aired out all our dirty laundry, all the things that had built up over the years. It was actually really therapeutic. I'm still dealing with some anger that the whole kissing thing even happened, but I know it wasn't totally Leonard's fault. I've made some stupid mistakes, too. So, we just spent a lot of time working stuff out. Who knew open, honest communication could be so effective?" Penny said with a loving glance at Leonard.

"But you didn't get married."

"No, we didn't. Penny and I decided what we needed was a fresh start. We gave ourselves a new beginning. We forgave each other for our past mistakes, and we're putting it behind us. We're still engaged, but this time we're going to do things right, _and_ not wait so long to make it happen. Plus, we realized it wouldn't be nearly as fun getting married in Vegas as we thought, because we wouldn't be surrounded by the people we love."

At the word _love_ , Sheldon hung his head as he was brought back to the here and now, and the bleakness that had taken up residence in his soul. "Amy," he whispered.

But Penny caught it. "Oh, sweetie, we've been going on and on while you're still dealing with your situation. Have you just been moping this whole time?" she said, gesturing at the untidy abode.

Sheldon stared at her sharply. "Sheldon Cooper does not mope! I have simply been too preoccupied to demean myself with meaningless, everyday tasks." He was trying so hard to hang onto his last shreds of bravado as he continued to crumble inside.

He stood once more and ran his fingers through his already disheveled hair. "Step back? She needs to step back? She needs time? It's ridiculous! She's wrong! And here I've been, trying to find the perfect moment to—" he stopped his rambling, once he realized what he was about to let slip.

"Trying to find the perfect moment to what?" Penny asked.

He sighed loudly. They might as well know. It probably wasn't going to happen now, anyway. Striding over to his desk, he pulled out the black box Gollum had been so carefully guarding, and walked back to the couch. "-to give Amy this," he concluded, as he opened the box.

Penny squealed and began to slap Sheldon's arm repeatedly, much to his annoyance. "Holy crap on a cracker, Sheldon, you were going to propose?! Really?! I can't believe it, our little Shelly, thinking about marriage!" She began to fan her eyes that were pooling with tears.

"I am _not_ your little Shelly!" Sheldon protested, turning to face his sane best friend, but when he did, he noticed there were tears in Leonard's eyes as well.

"What on earth, Leonard?"

"I just, I can't believe it. I've lived with you for twelve years, buddy. I never thought I'd see the day you'd have an engagement ring. You've come so far. I'm proud of you, Sheldon." Leonard reached over to hug Sheldon, and while Sheldon sat motionless at first, he did finally reach out to hug Leonard back.

As they pulled apart, Sheldon said, "If either of you breathe a word of this to Amy, I will make your lives completely miserable, rest assured."

"I thought you did that already," Leonard said.

"Leonard! Not the right moment!" Penny scolded.

"Sorry, force of habit. We won't say anything, Sheldon."

"Good. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to lie back down."

Once Sheldon left the room, the couple looked at each other, stunned at all that had just transpired.

"Leonard, we have to get those two talking again."

" _We_ don't have to do anything…unless Sheldon starts getting cats again. They are adults. They can work this out on their own."

"Come on, be serious. They both need nudging every now and then. Look, in a couple of days everyone will be coming over for dinner, anyway. I'll call Amy and make sure she comes, and the two of them will be back to normal in no time, or, you know, their version of normal!" Penny said, pulling out her phone.

She dialed Amy's number, then waited, and waited. Finally, right before it was about to go to voicemail, she heard a small, "Hello?"

"Ames, hi! Are you ok? Sheldon told me what happened."

"I'm…fine."

 _Liar_. "Well, I'm sure you heard through the grapevine that Leonard and I went to Vegas to get married. I'm surprised we didn't hear from you."

"I've been very busy. I apologize. I am happy for you both," Amy said in a lifeless monotone.

"Don't get too happy. Actually, do. We didn't go through with it, so you'll still get to be in the wedding after all. Anyway, there is lots to fill you in on, so I just wanted to make sure you were coming for dinner on Friday."

"I don't know, Penny. I was thinking of staying home, actually."

This wasn't the cheerful, confident Amy Penny knew at all. She sounded defeated, much like Sheldon did. Something definitely had to be done. If only she knew about the ring! Penny was itching to spill the beans, but knew better than to earn more strikes from Sheldon. "Pleeeeease, Amy, you have to come! I insist. It will be fine. Everyone will be there, and our little gang has to stick together!"

"Well, I guess I can stop by for a little bit, as long as everyone will be there," Amy replied hesitantly.

"That a girl! Do you want to have a girls' night tonight? I can call Bernadette."

"No, that's alright. You're probably tired from your trip and I have some extra work to get done."

"Are you sure?" Penny didn't want to leave it there but wasn't sure what else to do.

"I'm sure."

"Ok, well then, I'll see you Friday!"

"Alright, goodbye."

"So, she's coming?" Leonard inquired.

Penny nodded. "Leonard, what if they can't work this out?" She moved over to the chair and sat on his lap, wrapping her arms around him. She'd watched the entire saga of The Shamy unfold from the beginning. She knew how perfect they were for each other, and couldn't imagine them actually breaking up for good.

Leonard kissed her temple. "Don't worry. They _will_ work this out, just like we worked our issues out."

"Well, not _exactly_ like we worked ours out," Penny smirked, referring to the day in Vegas that had been spent entirely in bed.

Leonard smiled, and pulled her closer. "You know what I mean. They'll be fine. And if for some crazy reason they do break up for good, then you and I will simply run away, change our names and jobs, and hope that Sheldon never, ever finds us, because that's the only way we will ever have any peace again. Sound good?"

Penny laughed, and cupped Leonard's face with her hands. "Sounds perfect."

* * *

Amy trudged up the stairs to the guys' apartment, squelching the urge to run right back home about every five seconds. _Why_ did she let Penny talk her into coming over for dinner? Amy wasn't ready to face Sheldon. It's not as though she was forbidden from seeing him, but it had been a week since she'd asked for some time to think, and she didn't feel any closer to resolving anything. She was afraid if she saw him, she'd immediately cave. It felt too soon. However, after the horrible week she'd had, she yearned for some companionship from her friends, so she was determined to make this a good evening.

Her hand hovered over the doorknob of 4A. _You can do this, Amy. It's only dinner with the gang, just like you've done a hundred other times before._

The silence that formed when she entered the living room made her want to sink into the floor. She dared to look up, and saw five pairs of concerned eyes looking her direction. But the eyes she desired to see the most, the cerulean orbs that she often felt she could drown in, were surprisingly absent. All she could see was the empty spot at the far end of the couch.

Leonard quickly surmised what her first question was going to be. "He's here, Amy, in his bedroom. I'm not sure if he will be joining us."

She felt equal parts relief and agony as she took her spot right next to the empty one. Doing her best to smile, she asked, "So, what has everyone been up to?"

"Tell her, Raj," Bernadette prodded.

"I broke up with Emily," Raj stated with a hint of pride.

"I'm sorry, Rajesh. But I commend you for having the guts to end it when you knew it wasn't the best thing for you," Amy said, her voice thickening by the end, as this was hitting a bit too close to home.

"I agree, Amy. I'm proud of you, Raj," Bernie said.

"Yeah, I really didn't think he had it in him," Howard interjected.

"Neither did I!" said Raj, "And now that I've finally done it, I can focus on finding the real love of my life! She's still out there somewhere, and when I find her, I will sweep her off her feet so hard, it will be magical!"

"Right, and which one of you will be the girl in this scenario?" Howard asked, smirking.

"Oh please, the future Mrs. Koothrappali won't be put off by my party-planning skills or my love of Sandy B. films. Besides, Howard, you weren't exactly being manly when you decided to sic Bernadette on Stuart so he'd move out! Yeah, Bernadette told me."

"Why did you tell him that?" Howard asked, looking at his wife.

"Excuse me, I was venting! Stuart is never going to leave!"

"Has he really been that much of a nuisance?" Amy asked.

"YES!" Howard and Bernadette replied simultaneously.

They went around the room, continuing to catch Amy up, and she listened intently, asking questions where she could. She knew she should have talked to her friends over the past few days, at least the girls, but she had needed to isolate herself, to give herself as few reminders of the love of her life as possible. However, it felt good to catch up with these people who were so dear to her.

All the while the one question she needed answered more than anything was burning a hole in her brain. Just as Penny was finishing her and Leonard's Vegas tale, she held up her hand and said, "I'm sorry to butt in, but…how is he?"

No one spoke at first.

"He's not well, Amy," Penny finally answered. "He doesn't know where he stands with you."

"He hasn't been to work all week," said Howard, "He apparently told President Siebert he needed to take some time off. Rumor has it some grad students were in Siebert's office when he found out, and as they were leaving he started dancing around his office, shouting, 'Cooper's not coming! Cooper's not coming!'"

"He's not sleeping. He's exhausted, but he can't seem to actually fall asleep. So, he's been forcing me into debates about time travel at three in the morning," Leonard grumbled.

"Oh," Amy said. "I see."

"This is getting ridiculous. I told him we were having a group dinner tonight, and that he was going to participate. He needs to be out here. Sheldon! Your dinner is getting cold! Come join us!" Leonard called out.

Amy steeled herself when she heard the bedroom door creak open, but nothing could have prepared her for the sight now before her. Sheldon shuffled out, still wearing pajamas, perhaps even more disheveled than when Leonard and Penny happened upon him only a few days before.

Sheldon froze once he saw Amy perched on the couch. Though it was only feet between them, it felt like a million miles.

While he went to the kitchen to get a glass of water, Amy sat hurt and a little indignant. She had never seen him in this state. She'd seen him upset, angry, disappointed, but never… _broken_. He looked positively broken, and she was the cause of that, which only made her feel worse.

And yet, she was broken, too! All she wanted to do was cry, scream, and flail about in frustration. _She_ wanted to hide from the world, too! But, no, despite great resistance, she had still forced herself to go to work, eat, shower and dress, and try to keep her social life going. Yet, he got away with staying in pajamas and becoming a hermit! It wasn't fair at all, and she had a feeling she was the only one that possessed the power to call him out on it.

With a quick, purposeful stride, Amy reached the near side of the kitchen island. "What is this, Sheldon?"

He whipped around, startled at her sudden presence near him. As a defense mechanism, he replied rather coldly, "What is what? You're not being very specific."

Amy waved her arm up and down at him. "You! I've never seen you like this before. You only wear pajamas for sleeping! Your hygiene has always been impeccable. Right now, you're, you're a mess! This isn't the Sheldon I know!"

Sheldon snorted in derision. "Yes, well, the Sheldon you know didn't have his heart ripped out."

 _His heart ripped out?_ Amy wasn't fully buying it. "That seems a bit dramatic considering we aren't even broken up!"

Light flickered in Sheldon's eyes at the confirmation of their relationship, but his frustration continued on. "How would I know that? You didn't specify that on your rather cryptic Skype call!"

Meanwhile, you could hear a pin drop in the living room. Everyone looked at each other awkwardly as they sensed a Shamy fight was coming on, and while they didn't want to tear themselves away from watching, they knew it would probably be best if they weren't there to hear it.

"Hey, Penny, didn't you say you wanted to show me that new kitchen doodad you bought?" Leonard asked affectedly.

Penny caught his intense stare and caught on quick. "Oh, oh yeah! Why don't we go take a look at it now! It's supposed to, um, chop stuff like nobody's business." She hopped up and Leonard was on her heels as they headed for the door.

Bernie had caught on as well. "Howie and I want to check this out, too!"

Raj had been a little zoned out thinking about Emily. "Wait, is there really a new kitchen doodad? I love those! Wait for me! I need a better chopper myself."

Within seconds, the apartment was emptied, yet Sheldon and Amy were oblivious to it all. They both already felt like they were the only ones in the room as they stared at each other with such intensity, each wanting to say so much.

Amy's voice softened. "Why aren't you taking care of yourself, Sheldon?"

He looked away. "I didn't know if we were broken up or not."

"Do you really think I would choose to break up with you over Skype, or that I would break up with you at all? I told you I just need a little time to figure things out. I assumed you would be fine with it."

"Look at me, Amy. In what universe do I seem 'fine'?"

"Ok, well, I'm not fine, either. But I still think we need a little space for the time being."

Sheldon's gaze was razor-sharp. "No, that's where you're wrong. You were wrong to leave early on our anniversary, and you're wrong about this. We have been happy. We have the strongest relationship in our group. What could you possibly need to figure out?"

Amy sighed. "I wouldn't expect you to understand."

"Then your expectations of me are way too low, because I'm the smartest person you know!"

"Yeah, so smart you don't even know how to treat your girlfriend correctly!" Amy muttered.

Sheldon narrowed his eyes. "Are you implying that this need for time apart is somehow my fault?"

Amy crossed her arms and refused to answer. She was tired of having to spell out his mistakes for him. Why couldn't he see it? Would he ever be able to see it?

"Why are you being so evasive? Just tell me what I did wrong!" Sheldon snapped.

"No, that's just it! You're right, you are the smartest person I know, and you're a grown man! You should be able to figure it out."

"Grown man or not, this sort of thing doesn't come easily to me and you know it."

"But you can be perceptive when you want to be, Sheldon. When you told me you loved me for the first time, you already knew what I was going to say before I could even get the words out."

"Well, I'm trying to be perceptive now, but when I look at you, I have no idea what you're thinking, because I never thought you would need time to reevaluate our relationship. Can I just apologize and we can consider the matter dealt with?"

If she weren't so upset, she would have cackled at the absurdity of his last sentence. "It doesn't work that way! Besides, it's not even necessarily one specific thing, but a lot of little things. It's how you've made me feel so many times while you kept me at arm's length."

Sheldon was taken aback. _Arm's length_? That was the last phrase Sheldon would use to describe their relationship as of late. They saw each other every day, went on weekly date nights, and communicated via text and internet on a regular basis. Plus, their kisses had been becoming longer and more passionate. He had come so far for Amy, for the simple reason that he wanted to be with her. He couldn't get enough of her. It incensed him at how blind she was.

"Arm's length? Really? Was I keeping you at arm's length the times I did this?" Without a second thought, he walked right up to her and placed his hands on her waist. "Or this?" He moved his arms further around her until they were locked in a gentle embrace. A rush of adrenaline flooded his veins as her soft, fragrant hair cushioned his chin. Oh, how he had missed her. Just holding her like this was making him feel more alive than he could remember.

"Or this?" He added as he leaned in and pressed his lips onto hers. Had it really only been a week since he'd felt this incredible sensation? It felt like years had already passed, as though this kiss was rekindling distant memories from long ago.

Amy was melting at his touch, and while her heart wanted to give in and stay in his arms forever, her head was screaming at her to stop. Nothing had been solved. He was only doing this so she'd drop the whole break idea.

With all the strength she could muster, she pushed him away. "No! Your heart, Sheldon! You've kept your heart at arm's length! Don't deny it. I feel the effects every day!"

She turned away from him, but not before Sheldon caught a glimpse of something that made him ache all over. There were tears in Amy's eyes, tears that he put there. He never did particularly well when someone was upset, especially when that someone was Amy, but normally a hot beverage could assist in fixing whatever was wrong. There was no hot beverage that would fix this, though.

A sniffle came from Amy as she went to grab her purse. "I have to go, Sheldon. I'm sorry. I just can't get into this right now."

Before Sheldon could verbalize the thousand things he wanted to say, she was gone. He stared at the door for a few minutes as he contemplated all that had been said.

"My heart is yours," he whispered.

* * *

 **A/N: Thank you so, so much for all the follows and kind reviews! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. While I'm still not happy with Leonard for what he admitted in the finale, I wanted to attempt to put him in a slightly better light. The next chapter will be a bit...different...and should be posted later this week! Please feel free to leave a review, and thanks for reading!**


	3. Chapter 3

Sheldon was sure he'd seen him. There had been a quick blur of red, and he'd know that shade of red anywhere. But was it merely someone cosplaying? Or was it, _gulp_ , actually him?

Surely not. No, it must be a cosplayer, because this must be…Comic-Con? However, this certainly didn't look anything like Comic-Con. He found himself running down a long, seemingly endless corridor, painted in a pristine white, with a multitude of doors on either side, and as he slowed down to examine them, he noticed that each door was marked with one of his interests. There were doors for science, comic books, Doctor Who, Star Wars, and even his theremin. On they went as far as he could see, but the door he was most curious to find was Amy's door. Surely, there was a door for her, too, right?

Further down the hall in the distance, where the light began to fade, he noticed a small spot of color growing larger. He grinned in excitement. It was really him! He was finally going to meet one of his favorite superheroes!

The blur of red expanded in Sheldon's field of vision, until it abruptly stopped in front of him. Sheldon was nearly speechless.

"Oh, dear, it's really you! You're The Flash!"

"I am. I stopped because you seem a little lost. Can I help you find something?"

"Yes, I was actually trying to find Amy's door. Do you know which one it is?"

The Flash couldn't help but bust out laughing. "Do you honestly think Amy should only have a _door_?"

Sheldon bristled at his mocking tone. "Well, I would assume there is also a room attached to the door as well! And people say _I_ take things too literally."

"Sorry, I can't help you. You'll have to figure it on your own. In fact, I'll just be taking this," The Flash replied, reaching for Sheldon's pocket. Before Sheldon could protest and jerk away, The Flash grabbed the black ring box that had been in the pocket, and was gone.

"Give that back!" Sheldon bellowed, but it was no use. There was only a strong echo left in the corrider. "Well, I'm certainly not going to be watching your show _now_!"

He began to run again, knowing it was futile to chase The Flash, but he had to try. He had to get that ring back!

As he sped up even further, hoping The Flash would return, he realized that in most cases, he would have passed out from exhaustion by now. Sheldon had very little stamina when it came to exercise of any kind, but as his feet kept pounding the concrete floor at a steady pace, he noticed he wasn't tiring at all. There was an extra burst of energy, which he assumed was just added adrenaline due to the stress of trying to retrieve Amy's ring.

After minutes of chasing, Sheldon finally stopped for a minute. Looking up, the door in front of him wasn't marked at all.

"That's odd," Sheldon said aloud. Curiosity won out, and he hesitantly opened the door and stepped inside it.

With a jolt, he was instantly on a train car. The door and corridor had completely vanished, and all around him were the sights and sounds of an older Pullman coach. In fact, this one looked rather identical to the one he and Amy had spent Valentine's Day on, where they had shared that kiss that had opened up a whole new realm for him. This must be the same train.

He breathed in the scent of old leather and wood as he sat down, relaxing after that long run. Trains almost always had a calming effect on him. Upon further inspection, Sheldon noticed the car was empty, save one lone figure at the other end of the car, his back turned to Sheldon. The train was also whizzing at a speed Sheldon had never seen before. That relaxed feeling began to leave him as he looked at how fast they seemed to be going.

"We're traveling at 7,300 miles per hour," said the voice from the end of the car, as if he had read Sheldon's mind.

"How do you know that?" Sheldon asked as he started walking towards the voice.

"I'm the one driving this train."

"That's not possible. We're not in the locomotive," Sheldon pointed out.

"I'm driving it with my mind. Of course, uh, we're actually in, in your mind, so I'm not quite sure how that works."

Sheldon had reached the voice and was surprised to see Arthur Jeffries dressed in a conductor's uniform.

"Professor Proton?" Sheldon gasped.

"Yeah, uh, it's me again, Sheldon. I'm wondering why you've brought me here exactly. The last time we met was in a swamp if I recall, although, this is a lot less humid, thankfully."

"Yes, it was the planet of Dagobah," Sheldon affirmed. "But I didn't bring you here. You must have brought me here! I was chasing The Flash, and the next thing I know, I'm on a train!"

"I just got here not too long ago myself. My nap was interrupted, so I'm hoping that this, uh, doesn't take too long."

"May I ask why we're going so fast?"

"I'll let you in on a secret," Arthur said, leaning in, even though there wasn't anyone else around. "It's all an illusion."

"But you said we were traveling at 7,300 miles per hour!"

"That what it feels like. But take a look at this particular window right here. It shows the truth." He pointed to a small, round window to the right of them. Sheldon peered through, and was astounded. By his calculations, they were only moving at around 35 miles per hour!

"I don't understand."

"We see things as we want to see them. You've chosen to look at most areas of your life through this filter of speed. That's why they terrify you."

"That's preposterous! I haven't chosen anything of the sort! Why would I choose that? If anything, I'm using this small window here to see situations, because I take my time and don't make rash decisions."

"No, that's only how you see it once it becomes comfortable to you. Meanwhile, you feel as though you're on a runaway train all the time."

"I do not! Besides, I literally tried that before, running away on a train, and it only leads to chaos. I'm not going to listen to this malarkey anymore! I thought you were better than that, Professor!" Sheldon stood and sat down a couple of tables away.

After a minute, Arthur got up and joined Sheldon at the other table. He placed a hand on Sheldon's arm, causing Sheldon to look up with a start. "Are you appreciating them?"

Sheldon pondered for a moment then nodded. "I believe I am. I hope I am."

"Are you appreciating _her_?"

"Of course! I love her. We got an 8.2 on the relationship test we took. I was going to propose to her before The Flash stole my ring!"

Arthur looked straight into Sheldon's eyes. "Does she know you appreciate her?"

Sheldon opened his mouth to answer but paused. Does she? His immediate answer was yes, but something Amy said on their 5-year anniversary came back to him. "…after five years all I can get out of you is a distracted make-out session on a couch." She had gotten a lot more out of him than that over five years! That comment was still bothering him. Would she have said it if she had felt appreciated?

Sheldon couldn't begin to know. Women, especially his woman, could be so mysterious.

"I don't know," was Sheldon's quiet answer.

"Perhaps you need to figure that out."

The two men sat side by side in silence for a few minutes, with only the clacking of the rails as their companion.

Sheldon felt so confused. All this time, he thought Amy had understood him better than anyone. But if she was feeling like she needed a break to figure their relationship out, then perhaps that wasn't the case at all, because she would already know how he felt.

"Why do I have to explain these hippie-dippy feelings all the time?" Sheldon found himself whining aloud. "She's the smartest woman I've ever met. She should be able to deduce my feelings without constant reinforcement."

"Well, uh, don't you like it when she compliments you?"

"Oh, yes, it's one of the great joys hearing her fawn over me."

"Don't you think she would, uh, enjoy the same courtesy?"

Sheldon knew he was right, but didn't want to admit it.

"Sheldon, the bottom line is that if you really want her in your life, you have to make sure she knows how important she is. Do you think that perhaps when you were making out with her she simply wanted to feel important?"

"But she is important! She's the most important! Did she honestly think I was only thinking about The Flash?"

"Yes, she did. So tell her she's important, Sheldon. Don't let this one get away."

Arthur pulled out a gold pocketwatch and glanced at the time. "I need to be going. Just think about what I said, which I guess is really what you've said to yourself. I suppose you really are quite the genius."

"Wait! Where is this train going, anyway?"

"Right now, it's going in circles. It's up to you if it changes tracks. The locomotive is just a couple cars ahead."

"I thought you were the one driving the train!"

"I only said that to briefly put your mind at ease, but you have that power, Sheldon. You've always been in control of where this train goes. You are able to get it moving in the right direction."

Sheldon jumped out of his seat. "I'll go up there right now! Oh, and Arthur?"

Arthur turned to look at him. "Yes, Sheldon?"

"Thank you. Enjoy your nap."

"You're welcome."

Sheldon reached the door to cross into the next car. He was going to make sure the train went straight to Pasadena, and then he was going to go to Amy's. He needed to see her right away.

Once he opened the door, however, a hundred mushroom logs tumbled out of the doorway, burying him beneath them. He screamed out of surprise, and of disgust at the germs crawling all over him. He could feel the floor buckling underneath him from the weight of the logs, and before he could scramble away, it gave out. But rather than depositing him onto the tracks below, he continued to fall into a long, dim vertical tunnel. He continued screaming, as terror had never seized him quite like this before.

Falling, falling, falling….

And suddenly, everything brightened and he found himself sitting in a chair.

"Status, Mr. Data."

 _Mr. Data? That must mean…._

Looking around in awe, his suspicion was confirmed. He was actually on the bridge of the Enterprise D!

He was at the Ops panel. Not being able to help himself, his hand began to roam over the colorful computer display, and he grinned in delight, but not before noticing his hand had a much paler quality to it, and on a normal day he was already rather pale.

"Status, Mr. Data!"

When Sheldon realized he was also wearing a gold Starfleet uniform, it all clicked. He turned to face none other than Captain Jean-Luc Picard, who wore a frustrated expression as he sat waiting for information.

"I'm Data? I don't understand. Why am I not Spock?"

"As in Ambassador Spock? He's not on board the Enterprise. Data, are you alright? Perhaps we should have Mr. La Forge examine your positronic net."

Sheldon held up his hand. "I assure you, Captain, that won't be necessary. I was merely curious as to why I'm on board this particular Enterprise, when in most cases I would be Spock."

Captain Picard gave Sheldon a knowing smile, as if he knew a great secret. "It's because I'm your favorite captain."

"Intriguing," Sheldon couldn't help but say.

Commander Riker had taken over at the Ops console in order to get the needed information. "We've arrived at the temporal coordinates."

"Time travel? Oh goody, oh goody, oh goody! Those were always my favorite episodes! What is our mission, Commander?" Sheldon asked excitedly.

Riker gave him an odd look. "We've traveled back to Earth in the year 2025 to rescue one of the most brilliant minds in all of history. It's become too dangerous for him to stay in his time period, and we believe he will be of better use in the future."

"May I ask who this brilliant mind is?" Sheldon asked, holding his breath.

"His name is Dr. Sheldon Cooper."

This was getting better and better! Not only was he going to get to meet his future self, but he was going to be sent to the 24th century! Hopefully they wouldn't have a problem sending Amy as well. _This is way better than a stupid Mars colony!_

"Number One, take an away team down and track him down," Captain Picard ordered.

"Data, you're with me," Riker nodded to Sheldon as he made his way to the turbolift.

While the away team assembled in the transporter room, Sheldon was giddy imagining what his future looked like. Naturally, he and Amy would be married right now, and she would still be as beautiful as she ever was. Perhaps they finally had kids, and hopefully he would have won his Nobel by now. Oh, this was going to be so fantastic!

Once they transported, they arrived at none other than Sheldon's apartment. _I'm still living at Los Robles? That seems odd if I have a growing family._ The apartment was dark, the curtains drawn. It smelled rather filthy.

While the away team began using their tricorders, a gaunt, shadowed figure appeared, and Sheldon grew uneasy. The figure moved into a slice of light coming from the large window. His throat nearly dropped to his stomach once he saw that it was an older version of himself.

This older Sheldon seemed in a state quite similar to the way Sheldon had been as of late. His beard looked as though it hadn't been combed in years. He walked with terrible posture, nothing like the confident stride he had always had in his younger days.

Something was definitely wrong. Where was Amy? Where were his future offspring? Surely he and Amy had reconciled…hadn't they? Sheldon was growing more and more nervous.

The commander tapped his communicator. "Riker to Picard. We've located Dr. Cooper."

"Excellent, Number One. Stand by for transport," was Picard's reply.

"What are you doing here?" Older Sheldon asked in a fragile voice.

"Relax, don't be alarmed. We're here to rescue you. We're from the 24th century, and we'd like you to join us," Riker said.

Sheldon then remembered Riker had said the word "rescue" before. Oh, dear. This isn't what he thought it would be at all.

He couldn't stay silent anymore. Sheldon walked over to Older Sheldon.

"I don't understand. What's going on here, Sheldon? Where is Amy?"

Older Sheldon looked at him as a broken man. "Amy never returned to me after she needed her break. I didn't fight for her. I should have fought for her…." he trailed off.

Sheldon was horrified. Was this what he would become if Amy wasn't by his side? "Well, did you even win your Nobel?"

Older Sheldon shrugged in defeat. "I don't even work at Caltech anymore. I lost interest in science, and they eventually fired me. Leonard and Penny finally gave up on me and moved away. I lost everything," he said with a bitter bite in his voice.

"We can fix this. Where is Amy?!" Sheldon demanded, placing his arms on Older Sheldon's shoulders.

"I heard she married someone else, someone who treats her the way she was always meant to be treated," Older Sheldon replied helplessly.

Sheldon felt as though the wind had been knocked out of him. Not his Amy! The thought of Amy marrying another man was so repellent Sheldon vomited right then and there, and afterwards promptly passed out.

He came to just moments later, awakened by what sounded like a large, chanting crowd. As he slowly opened his eyes, he noticed the apartment, Older Sheldon, and the away team had completely disappeared. He was standing just outside of a boxing ring. The lights were dim, and the whole place reeked of sweat. Sheldon looked down and saw he was wearing boxing gloves.

"The match is about to start. Are you ready, Moonpie?"

Sheldon gasped at the familiar voice behind him and turned around. "Meemaw?" he asked, his eyes lighting up.

"Yes, it's me, Shelly. I'm your coach."

"Meemaw," Sheldon whispered as he threw his arms around her, holding onto her as if his life depended on it. She was one of the few people whose touch instantly comforted him, and he desperately needed some comfort right about now.

Meemaw stroked his hair for a moment and then released him. "Alright, boy, it's time to step in the ring."

"But I don't want to fight! I don't even know why I have these ridiculous gloves on!"

"Shelly, do you remember what your Pop-Pop used to say? He'd say, 'You can talk about riding a horse all day long, but until you get in that saddle it's nothing but hogwash.' You know what he meant, right?"

A bemused expression crossed Sheldon's face. "What he meant? You mean he wasn't referring to horses?"

Meemaw smiled and shook her head at her ever-literal grandson. "He meant your actions should speak louder than your words."

The crowd started getting louder. "Shel-don! Shel-don! Shel-don!" they chanted.

"They're waiting for you, Moonpie. What are you going to do?"

Sheldon sighed. He didn't want to let Meemaw down, so he reluctantly climbed up in the ring. When he finally saw his opponent, he gasped. It was Amy, decked out in full boxing gear. Her sleeveless top showed off her bare arms, certainly far more skin than Sheldon was used to seeing.

"Ready to fight, Sheldon?" asked Amy, taking a few practice swings in the air.

Gulping, Sheldon turned to face Meemaw. "You want me to fight Amy?!"

Meemaw gave him a reassuring smile. "Trust, Moonpie. Trust."

The bell rang at the moment, and the crowd went wild. Amy started to move toward him, arms up in a fighting stance.

"Well, come on, Sheldon. What are you waiting for?"

"I'm not going to fight you, Amy."

Amy darted a bit closer to him. "You know you want to. Just give me a quick jab."

"No, Amy. I won't do it. I couldn't possibly hit you!"

"Fight me, Sheldon! You've already been doing it for five years!"

"NO! I can't! I won't!"

Amy finally backed up, and smiled. "Good. If you won't fight me, will you at least fight _for_ me?"

There was a sudden flash of light, and in Amy's place there was a silhouette of a giant boxer that looked to be about twice Sheldon's size. Amy was just outside the ring, looking gorgeous in a long-sleeved, lacy wedding dress, but she was being held back by who Sheldon assumed were Giant Boxer's lackeys.

Sheldon immediately felt a surge of infuriation. How dare these guys touch his Amy! How dare they try to hold her captive! She had to be rescued, and apparently fighting this silhouette was the only way.

He swung as hard as he could; after all, his father had taught him a thing or two about boxing, but he simply hadn't any use for the information before now. With a fierce blow, he thought he made contact with the silhouette, but rather than knock his opponent backwards, Sheldon's arm went right through him, as though he were nothing but air, causing Sheldon to fall forward to the ground.

Standing back up, he looked over at Amy. "Is this a hologram?"

"Fight for me, Sheldon."

"How can I? This guy can't even possibly exist!"

Amy was starting to become transparent, as though she, too, weren't real. "What is happening to you, Amy?!"

"Fight for me. You're going to lose me," Amy replied, serene as could be.

The silhouette moved closer, and Sheldon swung again, but just like before, he made no impact. He kept swinging, while Amy continued to fade.

"Amy, no! Hold on! It's not working!" Sheldon called to her, punching as hard as he could. He was already exhausted, but he had to keep going.

"I love you, Sheldon," Amy called back before finally vanishing completely.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Sheldon bolted upright and looked around him. He was sitting in his own bed, in his own room. The lights were out and everything was still, except for his wildly-beating heart and heavy breathing. He was covered in sweat. He pinched himself to make sure he was really awake, and sure enough, the pinch hurt.

He leaned back against his headboard to try to relax, and then wiped the sweat away on his cheeks. It was then that he realized that wasn't sweat on his cheeks at all, but rather tears. He had awakened in tears, and the realization only made them fall harder. Sheldon didn't try to stop them, but simply let them fall. Great heaving sobs shook his body as he let all the emotions from the dream wash over him, permeating him.

"Leonarrrrrrrrrrrrrrd!"

* * *

 **A/N: Ok, this chapter was definitely outside the box for me! It was supposed to be just a small part of a chapter, but ending up taking on a life of its own. It was SO much fun writing, though! Hopefully it was fairly easy to follow. Next chapter will get "back to normal" so to speak. Thank you again for all the reviews, faves, and follows! It means so much. I would LOVE to know your thoughts on this chapter! Thanks for reading!**


	4. Chapter 4

Amy had been having a late breakfast when she heard a loud pounding on her door. When she opened the door, she saw a perky Penny standing there with a bottle of wine in her hand.

"What are you doing here, Penny? You're never usually awake at ten in the morning on a Sunday!"

Penny went ahead and barged in. "I am today. I'm on a mission. You haven't returned my calls and texts, or Bernadette's for that matter. I've been getting concerned. You won't come to girls' night, so I brought girls' night to you, or girls' _morning_ , I guess."

"It's too early for wine. I just ate breakfast!"

Penny was already grabbing wine glasses from the kitchen. "Well, then here's something to wash your breakfast down. Bernadette will join us a little later. Stuart is looking at a possible apartment, and insisted Howard and Bernadette look at it with him." She poured two glasses and handed one to Amy.

Amy rolled her eyes and took the glass. "Ok, fine. Whatever makes my bestie happy."

Penny slumped onto the couch. "Calling your bestie back is a good start. Seriously, Ames, it's been two weeks. How are you doing? What's going on?"

Amy stared at her little monkey figurine as she sat down as well. It had been over two weeks since that disastrous dinner. She thought she could handle the normal routine, but seeing Sheldon like that, and realizing he had no idea what this break was all about, was just too much for her. She knew she had to really distance herself this time, even from her friends temporarily, so she busied herself in her work whenever she could. The funny thing was she felt less productive than she ever had before in her life.

"I'm sorry I haven't talked to you. I don't know how to do this. I don't want to lose you guys as my friends."

Penny waved her hand dismissively. "Don't even worry about that right now. That's not going to be an issue. What I want to know is where do you stand with Sheldon?"

Amy could feel her bottom lip begin to quiver at the mention of his name, and it was all she could do not to break down completely. "I don't know! I have utterly no idea what to do. He's actually given me the time I requested to think things over, and to be honest, I'm a little shocked that he has. Yet, I can't come up with a solution. I just want to get inside that big, bulbous brain of his and see what he's thinking! Actually, perhaps I don't, because he's probably not even thinking about me!"

"Sweetie, Sheldon's _only_ thinking about you. He loves you and misses you terribly."

"I know he loves me, but I'm not on his mind the way you're describing. He wasn't thinking of me when we were making out on our anniversary. He wasn't thinking of me when he thought it was a good idea to apply to go to Mars. He wasn't thinking of me when he left to ride silly trains for six weeks! I want us to be a team in our decisions. I want to matter to him. He's still so set in his selfish ways it's like the thought of acknowledging his girlfriend seems like a foreign concept!"

Penny bit her lip, wanting so badly to tell Amy about the engagement ring, that Sheldon was thinking about her and was committed to her. But Amy had to discover that on her own. Blurting it out would ruin everything.

"What you need to do is sit Dr. Wackadoodle down and tell him this yourself. You know, both of you just need to work on your communication."

"We have excellent communication! It's one of our greatest strengths together!" Amy stiffened, suddenly feeling a bit defensive.

"It's also one of your greatest weaknesses. Sure, you guys talk well, except when it comes to your feelings. Then it's like you both do this tiptoe dance around the other because you're both so scared to find out what the other is thinking!"

Amy paused, realizing there was truth in her statement. "That's an astute observation, Penny. That definitely can't be the wine talking. How did you come to this conclusion?"

"Because I did it with Leonard for years. He was the kindest, smartest guy I'd ever met before. I knew he was special, but I was terrified of commitment and what it would mean for us. So, I avoided the issue until I couldn't anymore. I finally had to own up to what I was feeling, and once I told him, and started sharing where I was at, it wasn't so scary. It helped us get to the next level of our relationship."

"And then he goes and cheats on you, which I still can't believe he did."

"Yeah, it's something I never, ever thought I'd have to worry about with him. It's still a surprise, but it was that woman who initiated it. He then joined in the kiss for a few seconds before he realized just what was happening. We're trying to move past it, because we love each other more than anything, but it's taking time. Just be glad Sheldon would never do anything like that to you."

Amy leaned back on the couch. He wouldn't, would he? Amy had never had to worry that Sheldon had wandering eyes. He may have his faults, sure, but he was definitely a one-woman man, an _only_ -woman man. She couldn't help but smile a little.

Penny happened to notice. "Ready to go get your man back?"

"Yes, I mean, no! It's not that simple! Look, here's the thing. I never expected to fall in love like this, but now that I have, I've come to desire everything that normally comes with that love, you know, marriage, sex, family. I just don't think Sheldon may ever want those things. And I'd like to be romanced on occasion! Sheldon hates romance, and anything he would deem 'hippie-dippy.' I have to accept the fact that he may never offer me those things, and what I'm questioning is whether or not I am ok with that."

Penny was biting her lip so hard she was afraid it would start bleeding. "Ok, Amy, I have to tell you something. Sheldon—"

Penny's phone beeped with a text notification just then. She took a glance and saw it was from Leonard.

" _It's been a looooong morning. Hope Amy is doing alright. See you at home. Love you."_

 _Ok, so he just happens to send a random text right as I'm about to spill the beans about the ring?! It's like he knew! Fine, I'll keep my mouth shut!_

Amy was the ever-captive audience, waiting on Penny to complete her thought. _Think of something!_ "—Um, Sheldon does do romantic stuff for you! He does stuff he'd never do for anyone else. He tries so hard sometimes."

"Well, maybe I deserve more."

"What are you really wanting here, Amy? A normal relationship with a normal guy? If that's the case, then you need to break up with Sheldon immediately and stop stringing him along, because Sheldon will never fit the 'normal' mold. And guess what? Neither will you!"

Amy folded her arms, feeling the baggage of a lifetime of name-calling and never fitting in. "So? What's wrong with that?"

"NOTHING! That's the point! You're both unique and that's what gives your relationship its power! Look, if you want some Mr. Darcy type guy to whisk you away, you're not going to find him. He doesn't exist. But that doesn't mean that what's right in front of you isn't good. There have to be some moments where Sheldon made you feel special, right?"

Amy thought for a minute. "Well, the tiara he bought me made me feel incredibly special, but of course, Sheldon was trying to make up for ignoring my accomplishment with my paper getting published. I loved the picture frame he gave this past Christmas, but that was given to make me feel bad about not getting him a gift," she said with a grimace. This wasn't working so well.

"Think back harder," Penny prodded.

"Well, I know when he made me his emergency contact that it was completely his idea, and I loved that he trusted me enough with something that important to him. When he kissed me on the train, and we looked at each other afterward, we both knew something had changed for us. I could barely breathe, and I could tell he was deeply affected by the kiss. It was one of those most tender moments we have ever shared together."

"Ok, now we're talking."

"Whenever we eat out, Sheldon is vigilant about making sure there is nothing with avocado on my plate. He sends a goodnight text every night without fail. He told me recently the reason he bought me the mushroom log for Valentine's Day was because its longevity reminded him of us, which, I have to say, changed my opinion of the gift. And, for some reason, whenever I make him watch an old French movie with me, the times I look over at him he's always staring back at me, smiling."

Penny noticed how Amy's entire demeanor had changed. Her face was aglow with a smile that had crept up on her, and Amy's shoulders had relaxed as well.

Putting a hand on Amy's shoulder, Penny looked straight at her friend. "Sweetie, _that_ is romance. It's those little gestures that make everything worth it. I mean, Leonard bought me a freaking car before! But when I think of him being romantic, that's not the first thing that comes to mind. It's him making me a cup of coffee in the morning, or sending me a text like the one I just got. It sounds like Sheldon's version of romance works for you."

"I guess you're right, as long as I know where I stand with him. I suppose never knowing for sure where I stand, I've had to resort to the romantic gestures I've read about all my life as a yardstick for where our relationship was at. But that's not fair to Sheldon. I love him for who he is. I don't want to change him. I just want to know how I factor in his life."

"Well, the only way to truly find out is to go straight to the source."

"You're right. I need to go see him. I need to talk to him right away!"

"But don't just let him off the hook."

"I'm letting myself off the hook. These past two weeks have been unbearable without him. If there's one thing this break has shown me, it's that I need him in my life however that may end up looking. We will have to hash things out before any decisions are made, but I can't keep going on without hearing his side of the story, no matter how painful it may be to hear."

Penny grinned, excited at the prospect of these two talking again. Sheldon may not be Mr. Darcy, but she had a feeling Amy was still about to get swept off her feet.

* * *

Leonard was completely wiped out, and wanted nothing more than to cozy up in his bed and sleep for two days straight. It had been a grueling two weeks dealing with an exhausted Sheldon who just couldn't sleep. Sheldon kept insisting on inadvertently waking Leonard in some fashion, whether it be breaking out his bongos, or playing Taylor Swift while working on his whiteboards, or deciding that two in the morning was the perfect time to reorganize his closet. And once Leonard stumbled out of his room with a look that could kill, Sheldon was all too eager to discuss a myriad of nonsensical topics, conversing a mile a minute, all while avoiding the enormous elephant in the room. Leonard was starting to think a glaring of cats might actually be easier to handle than this.

Last night, however, a miracle occurred. Sheldon had finally managed to nod off in his bed around eleven or so, causing Leonard to do a quiet happy dance as he flew to his bedroom for his blissful passage into his REM cycle.

Then at 4:16 exactly, Leonard was awakened by Sheldon's scream. He remained still in his bed, thinking Sheldon must have had a bad dream, but maybe he would go right back to sleep. A minute later he heard his name being called, and reluctantly got up, shaking his head. The things he did for his best friend.

When Leonard opened Sheldon's door, he was shocked to see Sheldon bawling his eyes out. He'd never seen such raw emotion from his roommate before, and he found it unnerving yet endearing. His heart went out to him. Leonard knew all too well the pain of being separated from the one you love. He'd gone through it way too much with Penny.

Leonard guided Sheldon out into the living room, sat him down, and began to make tea for the both of them. Once the tea was ready, Leonard sat down and waited while Sheldon started to slowly compose himself.

That was over five hours ago.

Thankfully, it was Sunday, and there was no place they had to urgently be. He already knew Penny was planning on going over to Amy's this morning, so he couldn't use her as an excuse to leave. But he didn't really mind helping Sheldon out too much, especially after seeing him in such an emotional state.

Sheldon had hemmed and hawed about sharing the dream. It had clearly impacted him a great deal, but eventually he did begin sharing with Leonard what he had experienced, every detail with great vividness. Leonard was rather fascinated with the dream, seeing how Sheldon's subconscious was right on the money, but Sheldon didn't seem to see it quite yet.

"And then she vanished, Leonard. Vanished! It was terrifying! That's when I woke up."

"Wow. I'm sorry you went through that, Sheldon. It definitely seems like your dream was trying to tell you something."

"Yes, that Amy and I will never go anywhere near a boxing ring!"

Leonard rolled his eyes, and folded his arms. "Really? That's your big takeaway from all this? Sheldon, this dream left you in tears."

"That was merely from the shock of it all! It certainly wasn't because I was feeling emotio—" Sheldon's protest when he glanced at Leonard looking at him skeptically. "Ok, it _was_ more than that. I'm scared to lose Amy. Apparently my subconscious believes I've been a terrible boyfriend and she's going to leave me forever."

"And the conscious part of you? What does it think?"

"I'm not sure that I've been a terrible boyfriend. I just wish I knew what I did wrong so I could try to make it better, but perhaps that isn't possible."

"Sheldon, I'm not sure it's anything one thing you did or anything necessarily wrong with you. I think the bottom line is Amy probably wants you to express your feelings more. She can't read your mind, no matter how brilliant she is."

Sheldon wrung his hands together and looked at the floor.

Leonard leaned forward. "What is it, buddy? What's the real issue here?"

"I suppose it's that part of me is still afraid I will lose myself with Amy, and I love myself. I don't want to lose what makes me me."

"If you ask me, I think you found yourself with Amy."

Sheldon's head popped up. "Explain."

"She opened up your heart. We didn't know if you had one before her, no offense. But you're still a genius. You still love trains and comic books. But you're a better person now. Our friendship is better. Your other relationships are better. I think this is who you were meant to be all along. You haven't lost anything. You've only gained."

With his emotions still hovering so near the surface, tears began to prick at his eyes, but he quickly blinked them away. Leonard, against all odds, was right. Amy had brought a sense of completion to his life he'd never known he'd needed. He remembered when science was his only great love. But it never seemed to give him the satisfaction he had thought it would. Amy had changed it all. He couldn't ever go back to that man that he used to be, and he didn't want to. He wanted to go forward this time, as long as Amy was with him. Suddenly, everything in his dream was making a lot more sense.

"I have to tell her…." he whispered to himself, "But it might be too late."

Leonard heard it all. "It's not too late. She didn't break up with you, remember?"

"But I have given her space and she still hasn't contacted me! She's had three weeks! What more does she need? And what can I do?"

Leonard smiled. "Well, I know I told you to wait it out, but at this point, the best advice I can give you is…Schrödinger's cat."

Sheldon's eyes widened. "That's brilliant, Leonard!"

"You sound surprised," Leonard said with a smirk.

Ignoring his comment, Sheldon continued. "That's exactly the status of our relationship right now. And I have to ensure that the cat is still alive. I have to open the box! I know exactly what to do!"

Sheldon hopped up and ran to the bathroom. Within twenty minutes, he had shaved, showered, and dressed, and was feeling more hopeful than he had in weeks. Leonard was amazed at the abrupt change in his friend, and while he was curious when Sheldon spent ten minutes carefully writing something out, he didn't question it and went on with his day.

After Sheldon had finished writing, he immediately called Amy.

She surprisingly picked up on the first ring. "Hello?"

"Amy, it's time we had a talk. I've given you space, and I think it's only fair that we have a proper discussion. So, I'm coming over to your place right now, whether you like it or not."

"That's not necessary."

Sheldon's heart sank. _Oh, no. She's already decided she's breaking up with me!_ He could barely get any more words out. "Why is that?" he squeaked.

"Because I just pulled up in front of your building."

* * *

 **A/N: Hey, folks! I apologize for the delay in getting this chapter out. I just started a new job, so it's been a crazy couple weeks of transition. I also struggled in the writing of this chapter. It didn't quite come together the way I wanted it to, but I still hope you enjoy it. Don't give up on this story just yet, big stuff is still ahead! Please leave a review, and thanks for reading!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Finally, the long-awaited talk! :)**

* * *

Amy's steps were full of resolve as she climbed the stairs. She was determined to make this right somehow. She didn't want to be dragging Sheldon along, kicking and screaming. It wasn't fair to either of them.

Sheldon, meanwhile, was pacing the living room, fearing the worst. As long as Amy wasn't coming here to say that she hated him, he figured he could work out anything else. He wasn't going to lose her if he could help it.

The knock at the door made his heart leap to his throat. His palms were sweating as he walked toward the door. This was their make or break moment.

Opening the door, he was absolutely mesmerized by the sight before him. Amy was wearing one of her typical outfits, a purple cardigan and jean skirt, but to Sheldon, she had never looked more beautiful. Had she always looked this way? Had this beauty really been in front of him this whole time and he only told her _once_? _No wonder she needed a break!_

Amy couldn't help stare at Sheldon as well, basking in his handsome looks and realizing just how much she had missed him. She wanted to run into his arms and never let go, but words had to be said first.

Clearing his throat, Sheldon gestured toward the living room. "Hello, Amy. Please come in."

"Thank you, Sheldon."

Amy walked in, and without even thinking, went to the kitchen to begin preparing tea for both of them. She had done it hundreds of times before, so it was second nature to her, and she figured they would need it.

Sheldon watched her graceful, precise movements as she pulled out the mugs, teabags, and kettle. It was such a comforting sight to him. It was comforting just for her to be here, and he wondered how much more comforting it would be to have her here all the time. Glancing over at his Gollum figurine, he felt certain that it would be better than he could imagine.

He waited patiently in his spot until the tea was ready and Amy joined him. She handed him his tea, set her own mug down on the coffee table, and sat down in her usual spot right next to him. She wrung her hands, and he looked at the floor, neither one sure how to proceed.

"Sheldon—"

"Amy—"

They both spoke simultaneously and gave each other a nervous laugh. At least the ice was broken.

Sheldon held up his hand to stop her from doing it again. "Amy, I feel as though I should begin here, because you're unhappy with me. I am starting to see just how badly I have treated you all these years. I thought we were perfectly happy, that we didn't have the plebeian issues that plagued typical couples. Now I think our troubles might be worse.

"All my life, I have struggled with common social interactions. It's the price to pay for such genius. I have been set in my ways, and when you came along, I didn't think anything would change, or that anything would need to change. But the closer we've gotten, the more I seem to hurt you, and I don't even realize I'm doing it.

"This all leads to a bone I must pick with you. Why on earth didn't you say something sooner? Why didn't you try to get through to me? If anyone has a chance of getting through to me, it's you!"

Taking a deep breath, Amy plunged in. "I did try to get through to you! I've been trying for years! You dismissed me at every turn. The only way I could figure things out is to create some distance between us, which is funny since there has always seemed to be distance between us. You wouldn't let me in. I didn't know if I could handle a future like that, a future where I'm just one more item on a long list of interests vying for your attention."

The image of the long corridor from Sheldon's dream suddenly popped into his head, and everything The Flash had said to him made perfect sense, causing him to ache inside.

"To be fair, I am sorry I hurt you during this break. I assure you it was just as hard on me as it was on you," Amy added.

"Oh, good, because you weren't acting like it! You weren't giving me much to go on!"

Amy folded her arms. "Really? I wonder what _that_ feels like," she said, suddenly wincing at her accidental sarcasm.

"Well, I can tell you, little lady, it's not good!"

Amy tried to reach out with gentleness in her words. "Don't you see? This is what I've dealt with for years. You have said and done many cruel things to me for a long time. Maybe you were trying to distance yourself from your feelings, or maybe you genuinely didn't notice the effect your words and actions had on me. Surely you can understand how confusing that would be for your girlfriend, can't you?"

Sheldon nodded. "I do see that now. And I'm truly sorry."

"Thank you."

The guilt Sheldon felt over how he had treated her overwhelmed him. Why had she chosen to be with him all this time, in spite of his clueless, careless behavior? Suddenly, a sharp fear took root in his mind, and before he could stop himself, he blurted out hoarsely, "Do you…do you still love me?"

"Of course I still love you, Sheldon. The question was never whether I loved you, but whether you loved me."

"You know that I do! I've told you more than once!" Sheldon scoffed.

"But telling and showing are two very different things. One moment I'd feel like the most special girl in the universe, and the next moment I wonder whether you care about me at all. It's a rollercoaster that I'm tired of riding. I need certainty. But I can't just flat out ask you where you stand because you hate discussing things like that. For all I know, you'll get spooked and start riding the rails again."

"I'm not going anywhere. I promise you."

"I want to believe you. I do."

"Then believe me," Sheldon pleaded.

Amy sipped her tea, staring at this man who had never seemed more sincere than at this moment. "Alright, I believe you. I guess we both have to make an effort not to run off when things get a little rough. The only way we'll get through it is to stick around and talk things out honestly."

"I agree, Amy."

"Speaking of honesty, I need to apologize for something else as well. You accused me of my expectations of you being too low, and maybe that was true during that fight. In an all-encompassing sense, though, my expectations of you are extremely high. Besides your incredible intelligence, I know how big your heart really is. I may be the only who does. So, I knew you were capable of much more than you showed. I see how deeply you feel about so many things, but you may never be able to reciprocate and express yourself in the way I may hope. I have to stop focusing on expectations, because I fell in love with all of you, Sheldon, even your seemingly insensitive side. It was wrong and unfair that I would assume and sometimes insist that you change for me. I don't need some fantasy guy to sweep me away, I just need you."

In a spark of bravery, Amy placed her palm on his cheek. "You _are_ enough, Sheldon."

Sheldon instantly relaxed at her gesture, and her words. They were like a balm he didn't know he needed. Amy had been pushing him for so long, he was no longer sure she accepted him for who he was. Now he had confirmation that he was, except he didn't need to be pushed anymore. He had changed. He was ready now, and didn't want to hold their relationship back any longer.

Before he could respond, though, Amy continued, "So, I have a proposal for you."

At the word "proposal", Sheldon jumped from nerves. Was Amy actually going to propose? It didn't sound like she was heading in that direction, but he couldn't take the chance that she might propose before he had a chance! "Actually, I have a proposal as well."

"Ok, but let me get this out first. Please?"

How could he say no without raising suspicion? "Very well, proceed."

"Why don't we go back to basics for a while? Let's take physical contact and everything dating-related off the table. That's how we started. It will take the pressure off for the both of us, and we can just enjoy being together, appreciating each other's minds like we always have."

Sheldon was about to release one of his breathy laughs before he realized she was dead serious. _Did she take a marijuana?!_ After everything they had been through, she wanted to go back to the place they started from? _That_ was her big proposal?

He stood in frustration. "That is complete malarkey! I reject your proposal!"

Amy huffed with indignation. "Of course, because it's always about you, isn't it?! I couldn't _possibly_ have come up with a good idea…wait a minute. _Why_ are you rejecting it? I thought you would be over the moon."

Sheldon darted his eyes around the room nervously. "Well, I'm not."

 _Gee, that clears it up_ , Amy inwardly grumbled. She really thought this idea would smooth their relationship over for a while. "Fine, what's your great proposal, then?"

Sheldon walked over to the desk to retrieve a piece of paper, and came back over to stand directly in front of Amy. "First things first, I would like you to read this. Our downward spiral seemed to originate on our anniversary, when I asked you about watching The Flash. You asked if I was thinking about you. This is a list of my thoughts while we were kissing." He handed her the paper.

Amy hesitantly took the paper from him, not quite sure what to expect out of this. She began to read:

 _I'm going to kiss her._

 _I'm kissing her!_

 _Amy._

 _Amy looks beautiful tonight._

 _I like her colorful new dress._

 _Ooooh, it's only seven more months until The Force Awakens releases!_

 _I really can't believe it's been five years since we met._

 _I should probably thank Howard and Raj for setting us up, or I can let Amy do it. Yes, that works._

 _She makes me so happy._

 _Is my hand really on her leg? It feels so comfortable there._

 _I need to remind Leonard to take me to the bank._

 _This is the best kissing we've ever done._

 _Amy's lips are so soft._

 _Amy._

 _These have been the best five years of my life._

 _Oh dear, is she expecting this to lead to coitus tonight?_

 _Would I able to go through with it?_

 _Am I having a panic attack?_

 _Relax, Amy understands._

 _My stomach is in knots. It must be from the dinner tonight. I'm calling the restaurant to complain first thing in the morning._

 _Amy._

 _I love her so much._

 _This is getting intense._

 _The desk drawer._

 _Should I go through with it tonight?_

 _Oh, dear._

 _Maybe I should start watching The Flash._

 _I know, I'll ask Amy._

Amy had tears in her eyes as she finished reading. He had been thinking of her! Deeply, passionately. She would've asked if the list was really true, but there was no need. Sheldon was honest to a fault and the love in his eyes as she looked up at him told her all she needed to know.

Until she realized he had gotten on one knee.

He had moved the coffee table out of the way while she read, and was now on one knee in front of his spot, but his hands were empty. Nevertheless, Amy sat frozen, barely able to breathe. _What exactly is happening?!_

"Amy, would you mind scooting over here, please?"

Now she was even more confused. "You…you want me to sit in…in your spot?"

"Yes."

She slowly scooted over, feeling like a rebel, even though Sheldon asked her to do it. The seat was still warm from his occupation of it, and the scent of talc just a little bit stronger. Amy found it all to be oddly titillating.

Sheldon took her hands, jolting her even more. "Amy, ever since Leonard purchased this couch all those years ago, this spot became my center, where I felt the safest. As long as I had my spot to rely on, I was alright. But, things have changed, and I didn't realize how much they had changed until I thought I was going to lose you. My spot couldn't help me then. I still love my spot, but I love you more. When I feel unsettled, it's you I want to be next to. It's next to you I feel the most centered and happiest. _You_ are my spot now, Amy."

The tears that had threatened to spill earlier now freely fell, and Amy thought her heart would burst. "Oh, Sheldon, that was beautiful!"

"Good. Hopefully, this will be as well." Out of his pocket, he pulled out a small black box.

Amy's eyes were wide as saucers, and she trembled as she stared at this sight she'd wondered would ever be a reality, the man she loved holding a ring out to her. As he opened it, her heart melted at the exquisite design and lovely emeralds. It was exactly the kind of ring she would have wanted!

Her hands flew to her cheeks. "When did you get a ring?" she whispered.

"A few months ago, after I realized something."

"What's that?"

"Well, as someone very brilliant put it, 'There's no future without you.'"

Amy gasped. "Dr. Cooper, have you been reading my fan fiction?!"

Sheldon blushed. "One might have stumbled upon it while one was searching for one's girlfriend online during girlfriend's said time apart."

"And?"

"It was…um…intriguing." He cleared his throat. "But that's neither here nor there. I have something to ask you."

Amy smiled widely, taking in the way the light shone through the window, Sheldon's intense gaze, the stillness of the apartment except for her wildly beating heart. She knew she would remember every detail about this moment for the rest of her life. "Alright, go ahead."

"I cannot promise I will always be able to make you happy, but I promise that I will do my best. So, Amy Farrah Fowler, will you—"

"Yes!" Amy blurted out, momentarily forgetting about Sheldon's need for closure.

"Aaaamy!" he whined. "You have to wait until I ask the entire question before you answer!"

Amy waved her hands. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. You're right. Please continue."

"Thank you. As I was saying," he paused, taking a deep breath, "Amy Farrah Fowler, will you—"

"You do realize my answer is yes, don't you?" She couldn't resist teasing him.

Sheldon grinned. "I do. But you still need to let me ask the question, woman!"

Amy kept grinning as well, and gestured for him to continue.

"Amy Farrah Fowler, will you marry me?" he said in a rush.

"Yes, of course I will, Sheldon!"

Sheldon looked positively giddy as he gently placed the ring on her finger. It fit her perfectly, as he knew it would. Amy was glowing as she stared down at it.

He couldn't wait any more. He moved to kiss her, and she immediately responded, wrapping her arms around his neck. He began to move up from the floor while she moved backwards, all in one fluid motion, neither one breaking the kiss, until they were both occupying his spot together. His hands found her waist and gave a little squeeze, while she ran her fingers through his hair, both feeling emboldened by their new status as an engaged couple.

Once they pulled apart, Sheldon felt a bit bereft. He needed more. "Amy, would you mind if I conducted an experiment with you?"

"What, right now?"

Sheldon nodded.

Well, an experiment wasn't exactly what she thought their first activity would be when they got engaged, but Penny was right. Since when were they an ordinary couple? She loved their quirkiness, their uniqueness, and it was time to truly embrace it. "Sure, Sheldon, what did you have in mind?"

"This," said Sheldon, as he took the backs of his fingers and began to slowly rub her cheeks, taking in the silkiness of her skin. How had this vixen been overlooked all those years? How had _he_ nearly overlooked her? She really was perfection.

His hands then moved to her hair, relishing the feel all the way to the ends. He leaned forward to kiss her forehead, then both of her cheeks. Amy shivered at his touch, feeling his warm breath on her. She knew this wasn't some attempt to pacify her. This was absolutely the real deal. She never felt so desired in her life, and she wasn't sure how much longer she could control herself. _Best experiment ever!_

Sheldon moved his lips to her neck, peppering her with kisses, then found her lips once more. All this touching was long overdue. It was something he'd fought against for so long, but now even his fear of germs couldn't stop him. There was no fear at the moment, only calm. His soul was as still as a field of snow in early morning. There was no more fighting inside. He wanted this woman, and she was all his.

Finally, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, so that they were nearly lying on the couch together, her head resting on his chest. He sighed contentedly. There was a very good chance he was never letting her out of his arms again.

Amy smiled into his chest. She couldn't believe how much had just transpired over the past couple of hours. This kind of happiness had seemed so elusive to her, but now here it was for the taking. And boy, was she taking.

She lifted her head up to ask, "So, Dr. Cooper, care to share the results of your experiment?"

"Well, it appears I will need to collect additional data."

 _Collect away_ , she thought.

"That sounds promising. By the way," she added with a smirk, "Does this mean I can sit in your spot all the time now?"

Sheldon rolled his eyes. "Amy, please, there is no need to descend into complete anarchy."

* * *

 **A/N: I am SO sorry for the long wait for this chapter! The past couple of months have been the most chaotic I've had in years, leaving me with very little focus for writing. Plus, the way the current season is going isn't very motivating, either. But I hope you enjoyed this chapter. There will be one more wrap-up chapter after this one that I PROMISE won't take two months to publish. :D Please send me a review and let me know your thoughts! Thanks for reading!**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: This is just a short little epilogue. Lots of fun and fluff. A reminder that this story is set right after the S8 finale, May/June 2015, so nothing S9 or after is canon in my story.**

* * *

A few days passed before the entire gang was able to join up and have a meal together, although everyone had heard Sheldon and Amy's news by now and had offered their heartfelt congratulations. The atmosphere was the most lighthearted it had been in weeks. Leonard and Penny were cozied up next to one another, and Amy was scooted up right next to Sheldon on the couch as they ate their dinner.

Penny shook her head after she'd gotten yet another glimpse at Amy's ring. "Sheldon, I still can't believe what a great job you did picking out a ring for Amy. It's gorgeous, and suits her perfectly."

"Yes, well, clearly as I excel in so many things, this should not come as a surprise. I simply spotted the most eye-catching ring in the store and I knew that would be Amy's. That's what she deserves."

A collective "awwwww" filled the room.

"Now, now, what is this, the koala exhibit at the zoo? Let's calm ourselves, shall we?" Sheldon said, acting perturbed but casting a small smile in Amy's direction, causing her to reciprocate. She knew deep down he appreciated their friends' enthusiasm.

"Sorry, Sheldon, we can't help it. We're just really happy for you guys. It's been a long time coming," Raj noted.

"Yes, and I don't think Raj and I have ever gotten the recognition we're due. After all, you two wouldn't even know each other if it weren't for us," added Howard. "So, come on, tell us how awesome we are!"

Sheldon scoffed. "Oh, please, Amy and I are both scientists. I'm sure our paths would have crossed at some point, even without the trickery you both concocted. Amy eventually ended up at Caltech anyway. I probably would have met her there."

"You wouldn't have ever made a move, though, and you know it. I, for one, am happy about our trickery. You each found the love of your life and we made a new friend in the process." Raj looked at them and grinned.

Amy thought back to that first meeting at the coffee shop, remembering how she figured it would be like all her other yearly dates, over in about ten minutes. But it wasn't, and she was intrigued from the moment they started speaking. It was the most connection she had felt to a single human being…ever. Her heart had begun to thaw that very day, and she realized just how close they came to that never happening at all. If Howard or Raj hadn't put Sheldon's dating profile together, or if Sheldon hadn't agreed to come meet her…she shuddered at the thought as she took Sheldon's hand in hers.

Turning to Howard and Raj, she looked at them in all seriousness. "Thank you, Howard. Thank you, Rajesh. You have no idea what your apparent meddling means to me. It changed my life."

The guys looked at her sheepishly. "You're welcome," said Howard.

Sheldon cleared his throat. "Perhaps the two of you deserve…some…credit after all. Thank you."

Howard and Raj were stunned, as was everyone else.

"That's enough of that. I suggest a new topic," Sheldon said.

"Great idea! So, Penny, have you and Leonard set a real wedding date yet?" Bernadette asked, anxious to divert attention from whatever boring fact Sheldon was about to spout off.

"Actually, we have!"

"So have we!" Sheldon added, perking up.

"Already? You haven't even been engaged a week yet. The proper wait time to set a date is at least a year, right, Penny?" Howard remarked, smirking Penny's direction. Penny just glared at him.

"Sarcasm? Or are we not following proper social protocol?" Sheldon asked Amy.

Amy placed a hand on his cheek. "It's Howard. What do you think?"

"Sarcasm," he decided. At Amy's grin, he sighed with relief. "Oh, goody, I got that one right."

"So, when's the date, Penny?" Bernie persisted.

Penny grinned. "It's Valentine's Day 2016!"

Everyone congratulated them, while Leonard spoke up. "Yeah, when Penny suggested we get married on the day that already celebrates love, it just made sense. We can put together the wedding we actually want."

"Plus, I'm sure she liked the idea of getting out of having to buy you a Valentine's Day _and_ anniversary gift," Raj chimed in.

Penny's mouth dropped open and looked over at a concerned Leonard. "No, that's not true, I swear!"

"Oh good, I'll remember that when I open my two gifts every February," said Leonard with a grin.

"Ye-yeah. I mean, of course, I would give you two presents, right? That, you know, was my plan all along," Penny managed to eke out. "So, Amy, when is _your_ wedding date?"

The group then realized that Sheldon's eye had been twitching, and his knee bounced in anticipation of getting the date out.

Amy couldn't help but giggle at her excited fiancé. "Do you want to say it?"

Sheldon's memory caught what she was referencing, and he squeezed her hand. "Let's say it together."

"March 14th, 2017!" they both exclaimed.

Everyone cheered again.

"But that's almost two years away. Why such a long wait?" Bernadette asked.

"Excellent question, Bernadette. I'm glad you asked. May I?" Sheldon asked Amy.

Amy gestured for him to continue. "Go ahead. I know you've been waiting to explain this."

"Thank you! March 14th is of course Pi Day, and Amy's apartment number is 314, the first three digits of Pi. March 14th is the 73rd day of the year, and as you all know, 73 is the best number."

"Wait, I don't know this. Why is 73 the best number?" Bernie asked, suddenly curious.

The group groaned. "Why did you ask that?!" Leonard griped.

"I'm sorry!" Bernie barked back.

After Sheldon went through his spiel about why 73 is the best number, he continued on. "There are more reasons for our selected wedding date. The number 2017 is a prime number. Einstein's birthday is March 14. And, hold on to your hats, 3 plus 14 equals 17! Plus, 3 times 14 equals 42, which is the answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything, according to The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy." He was proudly beaming once he was finished.

"Wow, you really gave this a lot of thought, Sheldon." Leonard was impressed.

" _We_ gave this a lot of thought," Amy pointed out.

"Yes, _and_ it gives me more than enough time to practice my vows in Klingon."

"Sheldon, no, we discussed that already. No Klingon will be spoken at our wedding!"

"But Aaaamyyyy—"

"No, no buts. Now, you will have plenty of opportunities for input about all sorts of wedding ideas, but I have to draw the line somewhere."

"You mean, 'the line must be drawn _here_ , this _far_ , no _further_?'"

Amy folded her arms in mock annoyance. "Did you just quote Star Trek again?"

"Yes, and kudos on recognizing the quote! But perhaps that was the wrong moment to do that. Fine, no Klingon at our wedding," he conceded, leaning over to brush his lips over hers.

"Thank you, Sheldon," Amy smiled, giving him a kiss right back.

"Nope, that's still weird to see," said Howard, staring back down onto his plate.

"Try being the roommate. They've been very touchy-feely the past few days. It's almost become PG-rated around here," Leonard said, smirking at his own joke.

"At least you won't have to see anything on the wedding night," Penny commented.

"That's assuming there's anything to see. I mean, will there even be a consummation?"

"Howard! We don't ask that!" Bernie admonished.

"Excuse me! Not that's it's _any_ of your business, but when I decided to marry Amy, I decided that included all aspects of marriage, thank you very much."

Amy's mouth couldn't help but fall open in surprise, as this was the first she was hearing about it. Sheldon gently took his finger and pushed her chin back up, then leaned over to whisper in her ear, "I was actually going to ask you if you wanted to stay overnight tonight."

A furiously-blushing Amy suddenly stood up. "Um, ok, so I'm afraid we have to cut dinner short. I'm so glad we all got together. It's been fun, but everyone out, now." Her voice squeaked as she shooed the group out the door.

It didn't take a group of scientists (plus an engineer and pharmaceutical rep) to figure out what was going on, and they gladly complied. Leonard and Penny even raced over next door before things got awkward in 4A.

Once Sheldon and Amy were alone, Sheldon immediately took her in his arms and started to kiss her, slowly, sensually. "I've wanted to do that all evening."

Amy laughed. "Me too, but what's gotten into you?"

Sheldon just shook his head. "You make me happy."

Amy pressed back into him, relishing his kisses. "So, you're ready to collect that additional data?"

Sheldon gazed at her. "Well, you know, for science."

Wrapping her arms around his neck, Amy sighed with pleasure. "Sure, Sheldon, for science."

* * *

 **A/N: Well, at the end of my last chapter I promised it wouldn't take me 2 months to get this last chapter out, and I was right, it didn't. It took a year, LOL. My apologies! I thought about completing it so many times, and yet, something would get in the way. But here it is! A very big thank you to everyone who has read, reviewed, followed, and favorited this story! It means so much to me! Although I have written multi-chapter stories before, this was my first fanfic multi-chapter, and it was a really fun journey to take with you all!**

 **I also want to give a shout out to my fellow Shamy peeps over at Fan Forum. It was there in the Shamy thread that a discussion originated a year or two ago about the perfect Shamy wedding date, 3/14/17 (or 14/3/17 for other parts of the world) and all the reasons why it would be perfect. I loved the idea and haven't forgotten it, and knew I had to use it in a story one day.**

 **Please leave a review and let me know what you thought. Hopefully there will be more Shamy stories in the near future!**


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